Here's another one of which I did both lines and colors. I think I'm slowly getting back into producing more original art, and I'm beginning to like it!
Anyway, this started out as more of an experiment to paint clouds at first, but quickly turned into something a bit more ambitious once the final idea popped into my head.

Tools/Software: Dull Conte tool in Painter IX for coloring the character, and Adobe Photoshop CS for everything else (as well as minor tweaks and adjustments on the character). I used a really nice custom brush for the clouds, the settings of which I found at [link] . You'll have to look under "own projects", and it's the "painting with fingers" one (and while you're at it, go and sift through the rest of this man's works - he's the best digital artist I've ever seen).

I remember some Heavy Metal stories in a similar style, where the clothes practically defined the characters. Here you've gotten a lot of mileage out of some cute flared nostrils and some hand/finger positions. And an elbow thrust out with confidence. I like minimalism.

Ha! Funny thing, the nose happens to be my favourite part too!
About the tablet: no, it's not necessary. But does it make the job easier? Hell yes. I could, by the life of me, not imagine having done this with a mouse. It's possible, of course, but the lack of pressure sensitivity, as well as the fact that it's a lot (A LOT) harder to get real nice loose strokes with a mouse would take me ages longer.

yet another breathtaking piece!
i can't get over how smooth you can make it look. it adds so much richness and density to the colours, which makes it such a joy to look at.
the clouds look fantastic too, and i like that little weather ballooner in the background too